


Never Alone At Last

by spookyawards_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: M/M, Non-Explicit, Post-Season 9 (X-Files), Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-01-19
Updated: 2003-01-19
Packaged: 2019-04-27 06:47:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14419848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyawards_archivist/pseuds/spookyawards_archivist
Summary: Post-colonization happily-ever-after vignette, with a twist.





	Never Alone At Last

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Spooky Awards](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Spooky_Awards), and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [SpookyAwards' collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/spookyawards/profile).

 

Never Alone At Last

## Never Alone At Last

### by Raven

**DISCLAIMER:**  
The characters within these stories belong to Fox, 1013, CC et al. There is no profit made or intended from these stories, and they should be considered as being for entertainment purposes only. 

FEEDBACK greatly appreciated as long as it's friendly. Life's too short to waste it on flames. Thanks. 

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**  
This was written for Gaby, as a get-well present and general token of my esteem. 

**WARNINGS:**  
This snippet features domestic discipline! (aka a spanking) If this isn't your cuppa tea, please hit delete. Thanks. 

More of my stories can be found at the Sinful Shack right here: <http://gaby.slashcity.tv/>

XxXxXxXxX 

"Alex, what the hell do you think you're doing?" 

The Russian jumped a good foot and a half out of his chair. He made a hasty move to clear the computer screen, but at Mulder's look, aborted it, letting his hand fall to his lap instead. The brown hair was still shower damp, and when he ducked his head, a few stray tendrils curled at the nape of his neck. 

Mulder came closer, although he could see clearly enough over his lover's shoulder to have a pretty good idea what was going on. He made a motion, and Alex swallowed hard, but dutifully got up, letting Mulder take his place in front of the computer. A couple of mouse clicks and a scan of the history feature told Mulder almost everything he needed to know. 

Alex was chewing on the right corner of his bottom lip, the strong white teeth, so beautiful in a smile, now pinching lightly as he waited nervously. The green eyes were full of misgiving, and genuine fear, the lashes fluttering a bit as they darted to Mulder's face and back again. 

Mulder closed everything out, using the time to calm himself as he straightened up. He reminded himself that with Alex, things were seldom what they seemed, and he put on hold his instinctive feelings of hurt and anger. He'd get the whole story, hear his lover out before making any judgements. It was something he'd sworn himself to do when they first became lovers, after watching the man go through the hearings, with seemingly no one on Earth willing to even listen to his side of anything. 

Alex Krycek had been the focal point for every crime against humanity in the modern era, and often whole hours of testimony would be allowed before he was permitted to question, much less rebut. Mulder had watched him sitting there, absolutely alone in the universe, face impassive, eyes unafraid and had wondered at the man's nerve, if not his balls. But then one day, from his vantage point across and to the side, Mulder had seen something odd, a tiny movement under Alex's table, a quick flash. When it repeated, he looked closer, and that was when he saw that the man he'd assumed was both uncaring and unconcerned, was digging his fingernails into his own palm, hard enough that tiny drops of blood were falling to the floor. 

It had shaken him, forced him to begin re-thinking who and what this man was. His conclusions had changed everything that had ever happened between them, and he quietly went to work behind the scenes, helping Krycek any way he could. Somehow, Krycek found out that Mulder was behind his renewed defense, and when they'd cleared him of almost everything and then pardoned the rest, Krycek had turned to Mulder, silent tears on his face. In front of the world, he'd gone over to Mulder's chair, knelt down in front of him, and raised the hem of one pant cuff to his lips. He held the pose long enough for there to be no doubt in anyone's mind, then stood, trembling so violently a stunned Mulder could see it, and left without a word or glance. 

The Catholic church had gone ballistic. 

The press had shown the footage non-stop, while experts in every field of human science interpreted. 

Mulder had gotten so drunk the term "obliterated" wasn't strong enough. 

Krycek had disappeared. 

The Gunmen had found him, completely by accident, a few weeks later. He was holed up on a tiny island off the coast of Maine, living in a tiny cabin. It was modern and comfortable, but small, and he was the sole human inhabitant of the island. Mulder had gone to see him, and that meeting had led to everything. 

And now, Alex Krycek was his lover and his partner and his soulmate. He was also very near tears. Mulder jerked himself out of his remembrances, aware that he'd been unintentionally torturing the man. He did the only thing he could to quickly reassure. He smiled, letting all the love and affection he felt for this unique person show in his eyes, and held out his hands. 

"Come here, love." 

Alex hesitated only a moment, then gratefully allowed Mulder to pull him into an embrace. 

"It's okay, baby, it's okay." 

"It's not what you think, I swear it, Fox!" It was a desperate whisper, and Mulder shushed him gently. He hooked the leg of the chair Alex had vacated, pulling it up. He scooped Alex up like a child, not easily, but he was only sitting down with him anyway, so he could get away with it. 

With his lover seated in his lap, Fox could cuddle and comfort much better, and soon Alex's shivers had stopped, and while the eyes were still reluctant and a little frightened, they weren't terrified. A last tender kiss, and Fox eased back enough to see Alex's face. 

"Okay, talk to me, Lexi." It was a pet name Alex had barely remembered from his mother, and Mulder only used it when the Russian needed extra reassurance of his love. 

A nod, a quick flash of pink tongue as it licked dry lips, and a soft clearing of his throat. 

"It wasn't what it looked like, Fox." 

"Well, that's good, because it looked like you were hacked into the FBI personnel files, not to mention the DOD and the Pentagon." Mulder said it with a touch of humor and stroked a hand across the back of Alex's head, taking any sting out of the words. 

"I know. And, and that's true, I was. But I wasn't doing anything bad, Fox, I swear. I was trying to fix something." 

Alex took a deep breath, and a soft flush began to creep up his face. 

"The nanocytes. I always thought I'd destroyed everything connected with them, everything, right down to the doctor's reports. But it occurred to me that there was one place I'd never checked, and that was Skinner's personnel files with days off. There were two days there, and attached was a copy of the doctor's statement and the hospital discharge, with almost full details, it's required to approve the time-off. So then I had to go to the other places, and see what was written up. I found it all and trashed it. I was just finishing up the detail work on Skinner's file when you caught me." 

Mulder sighed. He knew how guilty Krycek felt about the nanocytes. He'd only used the technology twice, and both times it was under the greatest of duress. He'd been as gentle and careful as he could with them, and had suffered mightily for it. 

"Please believe me." The voice was small, and almost impossibly child-like. 

"I do, Lexi. I believe you with all my heart." Mulder pressed a kiss to the wide forehead, hugging tightly again for a moment. He then used a crooked finger under Krycek's chin to raise the face. 

"But it was still wrong. Alex, beloved, if you got caught, they would take away your immunity. They'd take you away, sweetheart. Your motives were good, your intentions the best, but you should not have done it. You knew better. There were options, Alex, and you should have weighed them carefully, then chosen one. I know this is all second nature to you, you don't even think about it, and you're good enough and careful enough you'll probably never get caught. But that's not a chance I'm willing to take. I won't lose you, Alex. I won't." 

Tears welled in darkest emerald, the long lashes turning to sable spikes as the quiet scolding cut to Krycek's heart. The first time Mulder had scolded Alex, the reaction had shocked him. He knew first hand how tough Krycek was, but the soft words of disappointment had made Alex cry like a child. He knew then that Alex could handle anything but love and all her tender qualities. He'd been very careful since to only scold, really scold, when it was absolutely necessary. 

"I'm sorry." The lips moved, but there was almost no sound to the words. They were no less sincere for their lack of volume, were more so, in fact. 

"I know, lover, I know. But I think this calls for punishment, Alex. Do you agree?" 

Alex sniffled, both hating and loving what was to come next. But like it or not, he needed it. What's more, he deserved it. If Mulder had to scold him, it was usually a safe bet that he deserved at least a token punishment. This time, he deserved much more. 

He nodded his agreement, knowing that despite the fact that this arrangement was of his own making, Mulder would never proceed without unmistakable consent. He felt long arms hold him close again, and then Mulder's voice was firm, regretful and little more than a whisper. 

"Go get me the hairbrush." Alex felt his stomach flop, but he stood and made his way to the guest bathroom. Opening the drawer there, he found the antique hairbrush Mulder had purchased on-line, for no other purpose than when a hand spanking wasn't enough. It was a large brush, the handle a light but solid weight. The back was an oval of pure teak, still light, but with a ferocious sting. It was virtually unbreakable. 

Alex trudged back to Mulder, who'd taken the opportunity to shake out the pins and needles in his legs from holding Alex so long. He was by the couch now, and Alex stood before him, head bowed. 

"Fox, not the brush, please?" He hadn't meant to plead, hadn't wanted to make things harder for Mulder, but he couldn't help it. 

"This is way too serious for just a hand, Alex. Now, in light of the fact that you haven't done anything like this in forever, plus the fact you were trying to do something good, I think thirty is fair." 

"No! Please, I really didn't mean to be bad, Fox. Ten." 

"You knew better. Twenty." 

"I fixed a couple of leaks while I was there. Fifteen." 

Mulder's mouth quirked the tiniest, and he gave in. 

"Alright. Fifteen. But Alex, if this ever happens again, ever, it'll be six of the best with the most brutal cane I can find, is that understood? No slack, no excuses, no way out of it. Is that perfectly clear between us?" 

Horrified at the thought, Alex could only nod. 

"Good. Now, let's get this over with, and we'll spend the rest of the night making it up to each other, okay?" 

"Okay." They shared a kiss for courage, then Alex sat down on the couch, while Mulder took his pants and briefs down to mid-thigh. He stretched his long frame over Alex's lap, swallowed hard, and nodded to show he was ready. 

Alex closed his eyes briefly, then brought the brush down hard on the tender undercurve of Mulder's rear. A sharp inhalation and a tensing, then a count. 

By fifteen, Fox was yelping with each painful swat, his count was a shaking mumble, and his bottom was the color of ripe cherries. He hurt, he was on fire, and he knew he wouldn't be sitting down comfortably for at least a day. 

But he could also feel the tears falling on his sensitive rear, could hear Alex's distraught crying. Krycek sobbed as he took Mulder's pants down the rest of the way, then eased the briefs back up carefully as he could. He helped Mulder to kneel up on the couch, got out of the way, and let him lie back down on his side. For his part, Alex knelt on the floor beside the couch, apologizing repeatedly and crying his eyes out. Mulder reached out for him, holding and soothing and giving all the comfort he could. 

"It's okay, Lexi. It's over now, finished. You're forgiven, love." 

After a bit, Krycek quieted, but his voice was still thick when he spoke. 

"I'm sorry, Mulder. It won't ever happen again, I swear it." 

"I know, sweetheart." And he did know it. He'd never had to punish Alex for the same sin twice, never. But he wouldn't hesitate to do so if it kept his lover safe and by his side. 

"I wish to God you'd let me take the spanking." Mulder hugged tighter, kissing the closed eyelids. 

"Peasants cut off your arm in a field with rusty knives and no anesthetic. Physical pain you can take. You need punishment, you told me so yourself. I could beat you half to death and you wouldn't learn your lesson nearly as quickly. It wouldn't punish you nearly as well, wouldn't make sure you knew you were being taught, not just abused. When you spank me, you get it all and you get it fast." 

"But it hurts so bad, Fox." 

"That's what makes it punishment, Alex, and a very effective one." He knew Mulder was right, but he didn't care. He hated spankings. But he did love the way it made him know how much he meant to Mulder. A glance at Mulder's reddened bottom showed quite clearly that Mulder loved him enough to take care of him, to put his own comfort aside if it meant helping Alex. It drove home the rest of the lesson the way nothing else could. 

"I love you, Alex, I always will." The rest of the lesson. 

"I love you, too, Fox. Always have, always will." 

And then Mulder was smiling at him, and he knew everything would be alright. 

**THE END.**   
  


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